Shawn Baldwin (b. 1979, USA) is a based in Cairo, Egypt. His photographs regularly appear in The New York Times. For the past ten years he has covered major news events in the U.S., Europe, Asia, Africa and the Middle East including the past several years covering the war in Iraq. His work has recently been exhibited in New York and has been published in most major publications including Time, Newsweek, US News, the Guardian and Le Monde.In addition to editorial work, past corporate assignments include leading Fortune 500 companies J.P. Morgan Chase, Goldman Sachs, HSBC and Nike.

About the Photograph:

Young Saudi men shop for mobile phones at a store in Riyadh. For many young Saudi men and women, who have few chances to meet members of the opposite sex, mobile phones and Bluetooth technology allow them the ability to safely flirt in malls, restaurants and traffic signals. The photograph was taken as part of a series I’m working on for the New York Times called ‘Generation Faithful’.The series examines the lives of young people across the Muslim world at a time of religious revival. The first article focused on the ‘Stalled Lives’ of Egypt’s young people and the issues that affect them: delayed adulthood, the pressures of trying to get married, the rise in religious observance. The article on Saudi Arabia focused on two cousins Nader al-Mutairi and Enad al-Mutairi and the difficulties they face regarding love, tradition and life in Saudi Arabia.

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Photographer and photo editor Geoffrey Hiller has created Verve Photo to feature photographs and interviews by the finest contemporary image makers today. Verve Photo is a reminder of the power of the still image. Verve Photo will also point you to new photo agencies, publications, and inspiring multimedia projects.